Mobile, AL — The Mobile Arts Council (MAC), in partnership with the family of Melvin Franklin, has selected artist John-David Swiger to create a tribute mural honoring the legendary founder and bass singer of The Temptations. The mural will celebrate Franklin’s profound impact on American music and his deep roots in Alabama.

Selected through a competitive process, John-David Swiger is a multidisciplinary artist originally from Gulf Shores, Alabama. Now 34, Swiger is the co-owner of Swiger Studio in Gulf Shores and has worked extensively in mural painting, photography, and fine art since 2017. Over the past year, he has focused much of his creative practice in Mobile County, with a goal of contributing to the region’s growing public art landscape.

The mural will be installed on the northwest-facing wall of the International Longshoremen’s Association Local 1410 building on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue. The site is directly across from the new Isom Clemon Civil Rights Memorial Park and faces the historic Ace Theatre. Situated along the corridor known as “the Avenue,” the mural will serve as a prominent cultural landmark within the area’s ongoing revitalization, including the restoration of the historic Union Hall.

Melvin Franklin was a founding member of the iconic Motown group The Temptations. Born in Montgomery and raised on Congress Street in Mobile, Franklin was renowned for his deep, resonant bass voice and charismatic stage presence. His vocals anchored countless classics, including “My Girl,” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” and “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone.” Affectionately known as “Blue” by his bandmates, he was celebrated not only for his musical talent, but also for his warmth, humor, and unwavering loyalty. He remained with The Temptations for more than three decades, helping define the soulful sound that shaped Motown and American music history.

ABOUT MOBILE ARTS COUNCIL

Mobile Arts Council is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded in 1955. Their mission is to enrich the quality of life in the Mobile area through increasing accessibility to the arts and promoting a vibrant cultural community. Projects of Mobile Arts Council focus on serving three components: community, education, and membership. For more info: www.mobilearts.org.